


Beauty Is in the Eye of the Bee-Holder

by London9Calling



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff and Humor, I have no shame, Idols, Krisho being weird together gives me life, M/M, Photography
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 03:59:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10801242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/London9Calling/pseuds/London9Calling
Summary: Junmyeon tried to pay attention to what Yifan was saying but he was lost, unable to do anything but stare at the face he had seen so many times on his computer, on his television, and in limited print magazines that cost a fortune and showed up five weeks later than promised.





	Beauty Is in the Eye of the Bee-Holder

**Author's Note:**

> Hehe, I had too much fun with this. OP I hope you like it! 
> 
> (Prompt #63)

Junmyeon kept his head down as he walked, sweatshirt hood up, strings tied into a very dorky but hopefully useful knot. The grey sweat pants he wore were a tad too long, which made sense considering he had to snag them last minute from Jongin’s room since he had already tossed all of his clothes into boxes to ship home (an expected misstep for him, planning wasn’t really this thing). He kept stepping on the hem, which was annoying but not nearly as annoying as the thought of someone recognizing him. The backwater’s most famous son was returning home – and he was doing his damnedest so no one would notice him. 

He managed to make it past the Lee’s corner store without any one of the large family recognizing him. It was one hurdle passed...a huge swath of them to go. He was too damn recognizable, the perks of growing up in a small town. He had gotten used to Seoul, dare he admit, where he wasn’t recognizable at all. But then again, that was his major problem – he wasn’t recognizable anywhere but his small hometown. That was not a good trait for an idol singer. Never once did he get to put on a face mask and pull his hat down while he ran to the convenience store. There was no need, no one knew who he was any way. 

Perhaps I should be glad to be recognized, he considered for a split second. But no, because coming back here wasn’t a good thing. He was slinking back home now that his contract was done, his group was disbanded, and with what to show for it? Wasted years and disappointed looks from his parents, no doubt. 

“How the mighty have fallen,” Junmyeon mumbled to himself. He had been class president, the small town’s best hope (or so the principal had said). But then he had become mesmerized by music, eschewing business school for a contract at a no-name agency. He debuted after two years of training, stars in his eyes and hope in his heart. And nothing. There was nothing. Sure they had a small and loyal fan base, but even those fans eventually forgot about the group who sang horribly written songs and couldn't seem to find a synergy when they danced. 

Wallowing in his misery, Junmyeon stumbled upon a stray rock in the narrow road. He had to do it, because that is what dramatic, wallowing people did. He kicked it to the side, frowning at the road. Or that is what he wanted to do. The rock was a bit sturdier than he thought so instead of kicking pebbles and moping he ended up stubbing his toe. He let out a yelp and swore at the top of his lungs, effectively blowing his cover in the most embarrassing of ways. 

In such a small town, in the middle of summer, the windows of most shops and homes were open. In such a small town, in the middle of the summer, a man walking in sweatpants and a hoodie with his head down drew some attention. In such a small town, in the middle of summer, it took ninety percent of the residents all of two minutes to know that Kim Junmyeon had returned. In such a small town, in the middle of summer, it took Oh Sehun exactly fifty seven seconds after Kim Junmyeon stubbed his toe to approach him with that familiar lazy walk and half smirk. 

“Welcome back, hyung. Did you buy me anything?”

Kim Junmyeon sighed, falling to the hot pavement in defeat. The pavement was scorching, he managed only to touch it with his palm before recoiling and swearing again. 

“Do you want me to carry you?” Sehun asked. 

In such a small town, in the middle of summer, seeing Oh Sehun piggyback a returning Kim Junmyeon through the middle of town was not that unusual of a sight. 

 

 

When they reached his parent’s house, Junmyeon slid off of Sehun’s back and muttered a thanks. He was drenched in sweat and felt disgusting. Perhaps trying to conceal his identity was not the best idea after all. 

“Your mom is in the garden, your dad’s in the studio.” Sehun patted Junmyeon on the shoulder. “May the force be with you, hyung.”

Junmyeon eyed the open door to his family's home. “Did they say anything lately?” 

“Sehun, have you had breakfast yet?” Sehun mimicked Junmyeon’s mother’s voice. “Sehun, you’re way better than that no good son of ours,” he mimicked Junmyeon’s father's voice. 

Junmyeon delivered a halfhearted punch to his pseudo little brother’s stomach. Sehun doubled over in dramatic fashion. “How can you hit me, you soulless person.”

Junmyeon rolled his eyes. Sehun might as well have been his blood brother. They had been constant companions since….well, probably since Sehun was born. Sehun’s mother ran the tailor shop up the road from where Junmyeon’s family lived. She was widowed and worked long hours running the business. Junmyeon’s parents took a liking to Sehun and had no issue keeping him occupied while his mother ran the store, and in some twist of fate he ended up practically living at Junmyeon’s house most of the time (save for at night, when his mother would be home from her long work days). He was a constant in Junmyeon’s twenty four years, and probably the person that Junmyeon missed the most when he had left home and went to Seoul. 

He was also unfailingly sarcastic, whiny, and needy. He was a younger brother, in everything but blood. 

“Did you grow more?” Junmyeon blurted out, certain that Sehun hadn’t been that much taller than him the last time they had seen each other. 

“Yeah. I drink milk. You should have tried it when you were still growing,” Sehun drawled. 

Junmyeon delivered one last punch to the gut before turning and resolutely stalking into his parent’s house, his thudding heart drowned out by Sehun’s whines from the front stoop. 

 

 

Junmyeon peeled his sweatshirt off as he walked through the living room, tossing it on back of a chair and toeing off his shoes at the same time. He made a face at the smell – sweat clothes were definitely not a good idea. He took a deep breath and trudged towards the studio, the largest room in his parent’s house. He felt better about seeing his father first, his mother’s disappointed face was something he couldn’t bear. 

The roughly hewn studio door was closed, but Junmyeon could see through the small rectangular hole in the door that his father was studying prints at his large work table, examiner’s glass in hand as he leaned in close. 

Junmyeon pushed the door open, straightened his shoulder he walked in. His father glanced at him for a second before returning to his work. 

“Hey kid, welcome back.”

Junmyeon stood dumbly by the work table, staring. What was with the casual greeting? Wasn’t his father going to tear him apart for his failure? Wasn’t he going to ask why he was back, why he hadn’t achieved fame or fortune in the big city?

“I’m sorry I failed, dad.” Junmyeon wasn’t going to let it go unsaid. 

His father put the eyeglass down and leaned against the work table, folding his arms across his chest. They were so similar, Junmyeon knew he was but a younger copy of his father, even this posture was eerily familiar to how Junmyeon would stand. “You didn’t fail, you just didn’t exactly succeed either. “ His father smiled. “You know, we aren’t disappointed with you. In fact, your mom was just saying this is all for the best.”

“For...the best?” Junmyeon furrowed his brow. 

“Yes!” His father answered excitedly. “We have our favorite model back!”

Junmyeon closed his eyes. Of course. “Dad I...”

“How about a quick shoot this afternoon? Your mom has some ideas and …”

Junmyeon slinked out of the studio, his shoulders sagging as his dad rattled off his latest ideas. 

 

 

Having parents that were professional photographers was interesting, to say the least. Photography had been part of Junmyeon’s life since he could remember. His mother and father had met while on assignment for their respective news agencies –– big name outlets in Seoul that paid them to take pictures of burning buildings, politicians, and whatever else was to accompany the front page story that day. According to his parents that wasn't their idea of fun, each individually coming to that conclusion. When they met and fell in love, they found the strength to leave high paying jobs and move to the country, where they could open their own studio and start taking pictures of cows, fields, trees...and their only son. 

Junmyeon was undisputedly their favorite subject. He had appeared in hundreds, thousands of photos during his childhood. Some of which ended up front and center of his parent’s big gallery shows (the only time they returned to what his mother called “the metropolis”). Some people might be flattered by the attention, but Junmyeon was never allowed to feel that way. His parents were too down to earth, too ready to knock him down a peg if he needed it, and too capable of raising a normal and not overtly spoiled or haughty child. 

Sehun liked to tease Junmyeon that he should have just gone into modeling, except he was too short. Junmyeon liked to remind Sehun that he should really figure out that GPA stood for Grade Point Average, not a version of Grand Theft Auto featuring ponies.

Junmyeon never wanted to be a model, though he didn't mind his parents taking his picture. It was bonding for him, he had so many fond memories of his parent’s letting him loose in the woods or another equally rough and tumble landscape to play to his heart's content while they went about setting up the shoot. He rarely knew he was even being photographed until he found the picture over his parent’s mantle had changed. 

While photography was his parent’s pride and joy, performing was his. Junmyeon loved it – from the time he stepped on stage during elementary school to play the part of the Wicked Witch of the West (his favorite color was green, okay). School plays, talent shows, and a stint with a really off key garage band he formed with Sehun solidified his desire to pursue some sort of performing art. Falling into infatuation with a certain Chinese idol is what made him decide pop music would be his preferred forum. Which of course, is how he ended up signed with a no-name agency and debuting with an idol group that no one idolized. Good times. 

But maybe, if his father were to be believed, his mother wouldn't be disappointed in his lack of results. No, she would just want him to stay there and be in a thousand pictures a day or something. 

Junmyeon sighed, pushing the back door open he looked towards the large vegetable and flower garden that dominated one half of the yard. He could make out a straw hat peeking out from a group of tall flowers. His mother. 

“Mom, I’m home,” he called out, acting casual. 

“Junmyeon?” His mother peeked her head out from the greenery. “Hi dear! I didn’t know you were coming back today!”

Junmyeon gave a small smile and walked over to where his mother was pruning one of the flower bushes. “I decided today was as good of a day as any.”

“You don’t think we’re mad, do you?” his mother asked, tossing a string of leaves to the ground as she continued to prune. “You did your best, there’s nothing to be ashamed about.”

“Dad said you're glad I’m back so I can model.” 

“That traitor! I knew he would get to you first!” His mother sighed, stopping what she was doing. She turned and gave her son a comforting look. “But really, don't beat yourself up about things.”

“I won’t,” Junmyeon lied. After a pause he said, “Mom, I don’t think I should model for you guys any more though. I’m not a cute kid, you can’t dress me up in overalls and take a picture of me standing by a tree and expect it to sell.”

“You’ll always be a cute kid to me,” his mother answered, smiling sweetly. 

Junmyeon pursed his lips. It was great being home. Really. 

 

 

 

“You know, I think it was the name that did it. S.C.A.T. like really hyung, who thought of that?” Sehun asked. He was lying with his feet resting on Junmyeon lower back in the most awkward of awkward positions.

Junmyeon had been home for almost a week now, and they had settled into their old routine of spending every waking hour together. They were flopped onto Junmyeon’s bed, enjoying the air conditioning while they played on their phones. 

Junmyeon lifted his head and gave Sehun a look. “It stands for Super Cute Amazing Teenagers.” Why couldn’t he just admit it was a dumb name? It was, they had all made fun of it. But this, this was a pride thing. 

“Hmmm. also means feces according to the things I saw online.” Sehun tapped his phone screen. 

Junmyeon sighed. What happened to his resolve? He gave up so easily. “Yeah, it was a stupid name.”

The nice thing about being around Sehun was that Junmyeon never felt like he had to say anything. They could fall into an easy silence - a benefit of being friends for so long. After living in a dorm with five overworked and frustrated guys for the last six years it was nice to sit in silence, offhanded comments aside.

Junmyeon scrolled down the fan page on his phone, opening an article he had already read a dozen times. He couldn’t help it – he liked the pictures. Who wouldn’t? Wu Yifan was….Junmyeon sighed. 

“You’re looking at pictures of Yifan again, aren’t you?” Sehun nudged Junmyeon with his foot.

Junmyeon didn’t answer. He scrolled to the next picture, thanking the higher powers for the invention of the leather jacket and designer sunglasses. 

“So….” Sehun finagled his way onto his stomach to lay next to Junmyeon, a set of movements that resulted in a few hard jabs to Junmyeon’s ribs. 

“Ow!” Junmyeon shot his best friend an annoyed look.

“You were in my way.” Sehun shrugged, sidling in next to Junmyeon and bumping elbows. “Did you watch his new movie?”

Junmyeon felt the heat instantly flash over his cheeks. Yifan’s new movie was….the memory of it gave him heart palpitations. 

“Haha, you did!” Sehun snickered. “Oh my god I wish I had been there to see you die!” Sehun suddenly stopped laughing. “Wait...you probably were jacking off to it. On second thought I’m glad I wasn't there.”

“I wasn’t jacking off!” Junmyeon protested, his voice a half-yell. 

“It’s fine if you do, no need to be embarrassed, it’s normal!” His mother’s voice called from the living room. 

“Dad agrees! Masturbation is completely normal, son!”

Junmyeon seriously hated having such free spirited parents sometimes. He also hated having thin walls. 

Sehun dissolved into a fit of laughter, tears running down his cheeks as he rolled on the bed. 

Junmyeon buried his face in his comforter in embarrassment.

Wu Yifan was the entire reason Junmyeon wanted to be an idol. He was perfect. So damn perfect, at least to Junmyeon and a couple million other people (mostly girls but hey, there were a fair share of male fans too). Junmyeon’s room was plastered with posters of his idol, which he gratefully found intact when he returned home. Yifan was great at singing, great at acting...just plain great. 

Okay, so perhaps Junmyeon had a not so small crush on the man – but who wouldn't! 

And maybe, just maybe, Yifan had spent the last few years doing more acting than singing– taking edgier roles with each release. And maybe, just maybe, his last movie had involved a nude scene that had made Junmyeon seriously consider if that was what it felt like to have a heart attack. 

But he hadn’t jacked off. Really. He was far too embarrassed for that.

“Hyung, I love you,” Sehun patted his back. “You’re so damn entertaining.”

Junmyeon sighed, face still planted in his comforter. 

 

 

One week home turned into two and then three. Junmyeon stood in front of the full length bathroom mirror one morning and frowned. He was gaining weight, he could tell. His father’s delicious cooking (his mom couldn't cook to save her life) was rearing its ugly head in the form of a few extra pounds. 

“I suppose I could gain some weight,” Junmyeon mused. He had been on a strict diet for a long time, he was probably too skinny. 

Plus it wasn’t like whatever job he ended up with next would need him to diet. Maybe. 

He hadn’t quite figured out what that job would be. His parents weren’t pushing him and he wasn’t in a hurry. It was nice to be lazy for the first time in a long time. 

“Maybe you should enlist,” Sehun suggested over lunch later that day. 

Junmyeon spit out a few grains of rice, choking. 

“Well what are you going to do, wait until you’re thirty?”

Junmyeon caught his breath. “No!” 

“You know, it isn’t as bad as you think it is.” Sehun had enlisted right after high school, by that time Junmyeon was already in Seoul training twelve hours a day. “I could do it, you’ll be fine.”

“I need to think about it a bit more,” Junmyeon replied quietly. “Not sure what I should do next.”

“Well, mom is hiring at the tailor shop if you like measuring little old ladies for formal wear,” Sehun joked. 

“Aren’t _you_ supposed to be working there?” Junmyeon raised an eyebrow. 

“I do work there, thank you very much. Mom just doesn't like seeing me too tired.”

Junmyeon thought Sehun could write a book titled _101 Ways to Get People to Baby You_. It would be a bestseller, really. 

“Maybe I need to go back to Seoul.” Junmyeon didn't want to, not really. But then again he didn't want to stay in the country either. 

“You’ll figure it out, hyung. I believe in you.” Sehun reached across the table and gave Junmyeon’s hand a squeeze. It was a surprisingly uplifting gesture - until Sehun opened his mouth and added, “But really, next time bring me a present. I carried your sweaty ass for half a mile, I deserve something.”

 

 

Kim Jongdae and Byun Baekhyun were Junmyeon’s closest friends who didn’t semi-live at his family home, call him short four times a day, and go by the name of Oh Sehun. A month after Junmyeon slinked back home the pair arrived, fresh from a missionary trip that Jongdae had been excited for and Baekhyun had agreed to tag along on, for yet to be determined reasons. Junmyeon and Sehun picked them up from the train station, which considering neither of them had a car was more a walk to the train station to wait, and then a walk back to town. 

“Kim Superstar Junmyeon, have you come to grace us mere mortals with your presence?” Baekhyun teased the moment he spotted his old classmate and friend. 

Junmyeon rolled his eyes. Jongdae was more forgiving, pulling him into a goofy and lopsided hug.

“He’s back for good,” Sehun filled them in, much to Junmyeon’s chagrin. 

“What about Seoul?” Baekhyun asked, his accent coming out thick. 

“Time to try my hand at something different.”

“He has no idea what he wants to do,” Sehun interjected. 

“Great, cause we don’t either. We can be bums together!” Jongdae slung his arm over Junmyeon’s shoulder and dragged him towards the road. 

“You guys don’t have jobs?” Junmyeon had sworn that Jongdae was working at his parent’s farm and Baekhyun had dibs on the assistant manager position at the town’s one and only grocery store. 

“Shhh, you’re ruining our attempt at camaraderie.” Baekhyun slipped an arm around Junmyeon’s waist, the two friends effectively caging him in as they walked. 

Junmyeon smirked. Not knowing what to do with his life was a bit easier when he had friends around. 

“I told him he should enlist,” Sehun blurted out from where he was walking a few paces behind them, dragging the suitcases Jongdae and Baekhyun had dumped in front of him. 

_Most_ of the time it was easier. 

 

 

“Hold the torch a little to your left. Yep, better.” Click. Click.

Junmyeon stood in the backyard of his parent’s house, said torch in hand, sheet awkwardly draped over his frame to make him look like some sort of lost roman emperor. After weeks of nagging he had given into his parents request for a photoshoot, not least of all because they had made not so subtle allusions to the fact he wasn’t paying rent and he was eating most of their food. 

“What is the theme of this?” he asked, dodging the reflector board as it slipped from his father’s hand. 

“Not sure yet. Okay, look pensive.” His mother clicked away.

Junmyeon posed for most of the afternoon. By the time his father called a wrap on the shoot he was convinced he had earned his keep for the next several weeks if not months. 

“Great, we’ll let you know what happens once they hit the gallery,” his mother said absentmindedly as she scrolled through the pictures. 

“Wait, you’re sending them to the gallery?!” They hadn’t mentioned that. 

“Of course, what else would we do with them?”

Junmyeon hoped none of his former group mates frequented galleries because if they did he was certain to receive some interesting texts. He already figured that any fans who had stuck with him through the disbandment would probably go to see the pictures, they had found out about his parent’s gallery shortly after he debuted (the internet was a marvelously invasive thing). 

He didn’t bother arguing about what his parent’s would do with the pictures, considering he had it coming. Also his father made his favorite dinner that night, so arguing would just be bad form. Food was a powerful motivator. 

 

 

As summer turned into autumn, the depression hit full force. Junmyeon didn’t like to admit it – he never liked to admit it. Depression clung to him during his time in Seoul too, when no matter how hard he worked nothing ever came of it. This time it was different though, it was born of a sense of aimlessness, the roots of self-loathing, and a sense that he wasn’t really good enough to do anything at all. His self-esteem was teetering at the edges of a dark abyss and no matter how many times Sehun dragged him out to do something fun he found himself falling into bed with a heavy heart by the end of the day. 

Baekhyun and Jongdae took to making constant suggestions of hobbies or jobs for him, but he had a reason why each and every one of their ideas was a bad fit. By the time of the first snowfall Junmyeon was seriously considering taking Sehun’s advice and enlisting. 

His parents noticed the taciturn shift in their son’s personality and did their best to keep him active and shower him with love. They stopped asking him to pose for pictorials and instead praised the few shoots he did when he was still marginally happy that past summer. Apparently someone had bought three of the pictures from his roman god pictorial (since that is what his parents had decided to call it, a rather unimaginative name Junmyeon thought). 

“My handsome son,” his mother cooed. 

Junmyeon let the praise slide off of him, none of it sticking as he stared down the road of his future and saw nothing. 

“I need to get my passion back,” he told Jongdae one day over coffee. “I need to feel the thrill of performing, but I just don’t have the energy to pursue anything.”

 

 

Junmyeon’s depression deepened when the unthinkable occurred. He could handle his own failure, at least the thought of it. He could blame himself for his inability to move forward. He could heap the melancholy on himself because he was to blame. But this, this was something he couldn’t be blamed for. It was the middle of spring when Wu Yifan disappeared. 

Junmyeon had checked the fan site first thing in the morning, like he did every morning. Greeting him were multiple posts speculating on the whereabouts of his favorite idol – all caused by a very vague and mysterious post Yifan had made on his SNS. 

A black screen. _I’m leaving, don’t miss me._

Junmyeon spent the next week living on the forums, keeping up to date with every sliver of maybe-news that filtered through from one of Yifan’s dedicated fans. But after a week the reality was no one knew where Yifan had gone and no one knew for how long.

“I’m sure he’s just taking a break, a celebrity vacation or something.” Sehun did his best to make Junmyeon feel better, playing it off like Yifan would show up with a new album and a movie in a day or something. 

“I think he quit for good,” Junmyeon muttered, his heart plummeting even more. 

“You shouldn’t base your mood on a Chinese idol,” was Sehun’s reproving words a few days later. “It isn’t good for you.” 

Junmyeon stared at the posters of Yifan on his bedroom wall, unable to argue. No, it wasn’t good for him, but most of what he did was not good for him. At least being Yifan’s fan had made him happy. Now he didn’t even have that.

 

 

“You’re coming with us and that is final.” Jongdae stood in the doorway of Junmyeon’s room, hands on his hips. Baekhyun was behind him, standing on his tiptoes and mouthing the same words. Sehun sat on Junmyeon’s bed, slapping at his legs in an effort to get him up.

“I don’t want to,” Junmyeon mumbled from under his covers. 

“Hyung, this is getting ridiculous. You can’t spend every day in bed. Now come on or I’ll pee on you,” Sehun threatened. 

“No you won’t.” Junmyeon wasn’t going to let such a ridiculous threat make him move from his fortress of solitude AKA down comforter and soon to be flat pillows. 

“Fine, suit yourself.”

At the sound of a zipper Junmyeon bolted upright, coming face to face with Sehun holding his jacket and unzipping it. 

“Grab him, before he tries to hide again,” Baekhyun yelled from the hallway. 

Junmyeon groaned as he was dragged out of bed and into the bathroom. “Where are we even going?”

“Shopping. Now brush your teeth.” Baekhyun thrust the toothbrush at him.

After a few weak protests Junmyeon took it, realizing he was not going to escape this one. 

He managed a quick shower and shave while his friends waited. Throwing on something that wasn’t pajamas felt strange, he hadn’t realized how uncomfortable jeans were until now.

His friends waited in his room, acting every bit as prison guards, resolute that their charge would not escape. When Junmyeon slinked from the bathroom they looked proud of themselves.

Baekhyun latched onto his arm immediately, steering him towards the door. “We’re going to have so much fun today you’ll be begging not to come back home.”

Junmyeon highly doubted that but he went along, letting himself be led out of the house and down the street. The small town had limited shopping opportunities so Junmyeon could guess exactly where they were headed to. The one and only commercialized (as in not a small, family owned store) shopping complex in town, which consisted of a total of three stores that were part of smaller regional chains. And those three stores were a gas station, a discount store, and a tiny and cramped overstock store. Tons of fun.

“Hyung, you’re worrying us.” Sehun sounded genuinely concerned, making Junmyeon feel guilty. “Tell us how to help.”

“There’s nothing you can do.” Junmyeon didn’t mean to sound so snappy but it came out that way. He felt even guiltier at the frown that formed on Sehun’s face. 

“Hey, now! Today’s a happy day!” Jongdae clapped his hands excitedly.

“Yes, it is!” Baekhyun mirrored Jongdae’s enthusiasm.

“Why?” Junmyeon blurted out. He could feel how he dragged everyone’s energy down with his presence and it made him want to turn around and run back to the safety of his bed. 

“B-because…” Baekhyun stammered, looking around at the shops, the sidewalk – apparently needing to find something to back up his statement. A car was approaching, a black, sleek looking thing. He latched onto it as some sort of omen. “How many times does a car like that come to a place like this? See, what a happy day!” he sing-songed cheerfully, nodding towards the car. 

Junmyeon stared at the luxury vehicle as it approached, curious. It was true, a car like that didn’t often show up in a little town in the country. He wondered who could be driving it and where they were going. There was a very good chance they were lost. 

The sleek black vehicle slowed as it neared, the four friends standing and ogling it without shame. When it slowed to a stop the friends exchanged looks.

Junmyeon watched the tinted driver’s side window slide down. He leaned forward at the same time as his friends, everyone unabashedly jockeying to get a look at the driver. 

“Where is North Street?” a voice emanated from the car. The body of the vehicle made it hard to see who was driving, even with the window rolled down. 

Even without visual confirmation, Junmyeon sensed it was someone familiar. There was something about that voice…

“Up the road, take the second left when you see the half burned down gas station,” Baekhyun rattled off. 

Where had he heard that voice? Junmyeon narrowed his eyes and craned his neck lower, trying to see.

“Thanks.” The window slid up, ending any chance Junmyeon had at identifying the stranger. 

“I wonder what a guy like that is doing here,” Jongdae mused, pulling Baekhyun’s head into a headlock just because. 

“Maybe Sehun’s mom finally decided to sell him,” Baekhyun croaked, struggling out of the headlock. 

“I will have you know my mother loves me dearly.” Sehun was not amused. 

Junmyeon glanced behind him, the car was already out of sight. He pushed all thoughts of the out of place vehicle and its driver away for the next several hours - instead he focused on trying to smile while he went on an absolutely ridiculous shopping trip with his friends. 

 

 

Junmyeon arrived home with several shopping bags full of things he absolutely didn’t need but Baekhyun had insisted he buy. It had put a smile on his face to see his friend toss odds and ends into the cart and come up with a myriad of ways Junmyeon could use said product. But seriously what was he ever going to do with a faux marble cheese slicer?

He lugged his loot through the living room, intending to deposit it in a corner of his bedroom and then crawl back into bed. His pity party had been interrupted but it was far from over. 

When he walked past his parent’s workshop he heard voices, the door was ajar a few inches. 

“He can be prickly if he hasn’t eaten, there will be a snack table, right?” 

Junmyeon narrowed his eyes and towards the door. Who was his father talking to? He leaned in, meaning to peek through the crack in the door to get a look without making himself known, but the shopping bags did him in. He lost his balance and fell into the door, sending it smacking into the wall as he fell headfirst into his parent’s studio. A pain spread through his face when he landed.

He cried out in alarm, his hand going to his nose to make sure it wasn’t broken. 

“Welcome home, son!” his father greeted him cheerfully. “You have a visitor!”

Junmyeon lifted his head, hand still on his nose, contents of his shopping bags strewn all around him. He lifted his head and locked eyes with what he was certain was an illusion. Just how hard had he hit his head?

“Y-y-ifan?” Junmyeon said slowly, not believing his eyes. 

Tall. Gorgeous. Hair dyed blonde. Five piercings in his left ear, three in his right. 

“Hello, I’ve heard a lot about you,” Yifan drawled, his voice deep and husky, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. 

Junmyeon promptly fainted, nose hitting the floor yet again. 

 

 

Junmyeon opened his eyes, wincing at the pain. His face felt like it had been hit by a hammer. He groaned, turning on his side. He was in his bedroom, shoes and clothing strewn about, an empty Lego box sitting on his hamper just where he had last thrown it. Why did his nose hurt?

He thought back. Shopping trip. Strange car. Coming home. And then…

“Yifan.” Junmyeon was horrified. Had it been a dream? He certainly hoped so. It was the only thing that made sense. There was no way Wu Yifan, the man whose face was plastered all over Junmyeon’s bedroom, could ever be in his house. Clearly a hallucination. He had gone out in the sun, maybe he was overexposed. It had been unseasonably warm lately or so he had heard. Yes, that was it. And then the fall...

“You’re awake.”

Junmyeon flipped over and looked at the chair that rested in the corner of his bedroom. The one that was usually piled with clothes. The one that was an ugly green floral print with a hole in the arm. The one where...Wu Yifan was sitting. 

Junmyeon sprang into a seated position and rubbed at his eyes, blinking a few times, and waiting for the hallucination to dissipate. “You’re not real. Go away, you’re not real.”

“Did you hit your head that bad?” Hallucination-Yifan mused, standing up and approaching the bed. 

He was tall, even his hallucination was tall. Junmyeon shrank back, pressing himself into his pillows as the giant totally-fake-Yifan moved closer to him. “Fine, I get it, I’m nuts. Now disappear!”

Yifan stopped approaching. He tilted his head to the side and gave Junmyeon a curious look.

Junmyeon’s bedroom door opened. His mother walked inside as carefree as could be, like her son wasn’t having terrible hallucinations of his favorite idol. She smiled at totally-fake-Yifan before offering Junmyeon a stern look. “You can’t mope in bed all day, it is no way to treat your guest.”

“Mom, he’s not real,” Junmyeon whispered, putting his hand up to block Yifan from seeing. 

His mother laughed which made him instantly frown. “Not real? Of course he is real! And he is here to offer you a job.”

“J-job?” Junmyeon stuttered. He glanced back at Yifan. The maybe-hallucination was standing with his hands on his hips, looking at Junmyeon with thinly veiled amusement. 

“I’m casting for a new movie and I want you to be the lead,” Yifan explained. “I saw you in your parent’s pictures and I knew you would be perfect for the part.”

It sounded ludicrous but potentially plausible. Maybe. Unlikely, extremely unlikely but...maybe? Was Yifan real?!

If that really was Yifan standing in his bedroom than he had seen the posters...all the posters...including the one that Junmyeon drew tiny hearts on. He probably had noticed the light stick and the postcards and oh my god did he get into the photo card books!

Junmyeon’s face flamed in embarrassment. “What movie?” he managed to get out. 

“We can talk about it while we go scouting for locations.” Yifan glanced at his watch. “How about we leave in ten. I’ll wait outside.” Yifan smiled and stalked past Junmyeon’s bed. Junmyeon’s mother stepped aside to let the pop star pass. 

“He’s so good looking,” his mother whispered, gesturing towards where Yifan was walking down the hall. 

Junmyeon face planted into his pillow and kicked his feet. He wanted to die from embarrassment. 

“You should wear your new jeans, they flatter your figure,” his mother sing-songed. 

He.wanted.to.crawl.in.a.hole.and.die.

 

 

The mystery of who owned the luxury car was answered the moment Junmyeon stepped outside of his parent’s house and found Yifan leaning against the door, apparently unconcerned that the car cost more than the house it was parked in front of. 

Junmyeon wondered why he hadn’t noticed the car when he got home...but then again he wouldn’t put it past his parents to have the man hide it so Junmyeon would be even more surprised to find him there. Damn parentals. 

He kept his head down, too mortified to look at his favorite celebrity. He had thrown on a grey hoodie and not the jeans his mother had suggested because that was just weird. He brushed his hair and bemoaned the fact his nose was red and swollen. He had imagined meeting Yifan dozens of times but it was never like this. In his dreams it was at a fan signing or a concert. Junmyeon would have taken extra care with his appearance and Yifan would never have reason to do more than nod in his general direction or sign his poster. 

Dreams didn’t work out, Junmyeon had learned the hard way.

Junmyeon’s heart thudded in his chest the closer he got to the car. Wu Yifan, the man he had supported and idolized for years was feet from him. His anxiety flared, coupled with his embarrassment it would be a miracle if he survived the next few minutes. 

“Get in.”

Junmyeon looked up to see Yifan holding the door open for him. He stared dumbly at the sight, his mouth going dry. He was so handsome...so tall...so perfect…

Yifan quirked an eyebrow at him, which snapped Junmyeon out of his daze. 

“I’m – yeah – getting in,” Junmyeon stumbled over his words, scurrying into the car and banging his arm against the middle console by accident. He yelped as Yifan shut the door, happy that at least this outburst had been muffled by the noise of the car door shutting. 

Junmyeon buckled his seatbelt, then tensed up, hands on his lap he tried to take up as little room as possible, petrified he would touch something by accident and break it.

Yifan got into the driver’s seat without sparring Junmyeon a glance. He adjusted his designer sunglasses and slipped on his safety belt, starting the car with a push button. 

“There’s a field I want to check out for the final scene. And that water tower in the town over caught my eye,” Yifan explained as he pulled out of the small parking area. 

Junmyeon had a thousand questions on his mind but lacked the courage to ask them. Why was Yifan there? Why him? What did he think of Junmyeon after the disaster of an introduction? What movie was it? Why had he dropped off the face of the earth and ended up in a rural backwater? And what role did he want Junmyeon to play? Also, had Baekhyun slipped him LSD and this was all one grand hallucination?

Yep, zero courage to ask any of them. Junmyeon’s palms were sweaty, his heartbeat erratic. He didn’t have to look in the passenger side mirror to tell he was beat red. He was in a car with Yifan. Wu Yifan. The Yifan. 

The Yifan who apparently listened to show tunes while he drove, had zero sense of direction, and ended getting them lost more times than Junmyeon could count -- an almost impossible task considering Junmyeon knew the area like the back of his hand (yet somehow Yifan knew just which one lane roads to take to end up somewhere he had never seen). 

Junmyeon’s embarrassment and awe morphed into annoyance the sixth time Yifan slammed on the brakes and pointed towards a field. “Almost, but not quite. It isn’t the one.”

Junmyeon’s flood gates were swiftly opened and everything came rushing out. “All the fields look the same! What are you looking for? And why are you here? Do you know how worried your fans have been -- I have been? What is this movie and why me?! And I’m sorry about my posters and please stop getting us lost!” Junmyeon rattled off, sucking in a deep breath and paling once he was done. Had he just all but yelled at Yifan? Oh my…

Yifan turned to Junmyeon and without missing a beat rattled off the answers. “I’m looking for the perfect field, I saw it while I was driving in. I’m here to film a movie but I need to keep it hush hush for now. I know my fans are worried but I have no choice but to keep things under wraps. The movie’s plot is a secret until you sign a non-disclosure agreement and I picked you because you show more emotion in one of your pictures than most actors do in a five minute monologue. Your posters are fine and I doubt we won’t get lost again because I suck at directions.”

Silence. Yifan was looking at him, his eyes obscured by his dark sunglasses. Junmyeon swallowed and looked away, attempting to digest Yifan’s answers. 

Last time he checked he was a failed idol without any prospects. Now his favorite celebrity showed up at his house and was talking about casting him in some mysterious film – all while said celebrity was MIA to the rest of the world. It was hard to comprehend. 

“I’m a big fan of yours,” Junmyeon managed to say in a quiet voice. “I have no idea how you learned about me. I mean, how you saw my parent’s pictures. And I have no acting experience, just so you know.”

“I like art and your parents display in some of the best galleries in Seoul. Your face was hard to miss once I had the opportunity to view it. And experience isn’t what I am looking for.”

The heat returned to Junmyeon’s cheeks. Had Yifan just called him handsome?! He could die a happy man now. Is this what heaven felt like?

“Your expressions aren’t good but we can work on that. You show a lot of emotion in your eyes which is the reason I decided to cast you. I heard from your old agency that your enunciation sucks and your acting is subpar.”

Heaven burst into a million pieces and rained down around Junmyeon’s head. 

“I– I–”

Yifan held his hand up to stop Junmyeon from speaking. “All of that can be fixed so I’m not worried. “

One piece of heaven returned to him. A tiny piece. Very tiny. 

“I can’t offer you a lot if you take the role. I am funding the production myself and the budget is tight. I understand if you don’t want to accept.”

Not accepting would be crazy, Junmyeon could never turn down a role in Yifan’s directorial debut, it would be ludicrous to even consider it. “I’ll take the role!”

“Great,” Yifan stepped on the gas. “How do you feel about nudity?”

Junmyeon paled. Perhaps he was a little too eager. 

 

 

By the time Yifan pulled up in front of Junmyeon’s house the newly cast actor had learned that the film was “artsy but not like annoying artsy” whatever that meant, nudity was optional but “highly encouraged, not full frontal but an ass shot”, and the field Yifan had fallen in love with seemed not to exist within fifty miles of the small town “I could have sworn it was around here somewhere”.

“Where are you staying?” Junmyeon asked, his words still flowing awkwardly, his pitch different, changed by his anxiety. Honestly he had mostly only listened during their journey, still nervous about making an ass out of himself in front of Yifan (more than he already had). 

“Here,” Yifan answered, turning off the car. 

“H-here?” Junmyeon stuttered, not believing what he heard, afraid that Yifan meant exactly what Junmyeon thought he did. 

“Your mom offered me the guest bedroom while I’m in town.” 

“How long will you be in town?” Junmyeon needed to have a talk with his mother. 

“Until the movie is done,” Yifan answered casually, opening the door and alighting the vehicle. 

Junmyeon groaned, on the verge of tears. Yifan. In.His.House.

Damn it.

 

 

Oh Sehun showed up five minutes later, Baekhyun and Jongdae trailing after him. When Junmyeon looked towards the front door he saw a group of other townspeople milling about –– no doubt having heard a celebrity was in town. 

“I didn't know you had a visitor,” Sehun lied, craning his neck to see into the studio where Yifan was seated next to Junmyeon’s father. 

Junmyeon didn’t entertain his friend’s desire to gawk at Yifan. Instead he dragged them to his bedroom despite their protests and shut the door tightly. 

“Yifan is in my house,” he hissed, eyes wild. “And I made an ass out of m-”

“Is that why your nose looks like a ripe apple?” Jongdae asked.

“Not an apple, more like a clown,” Baekhyun chimed in. 

“Guys, guys, stop being mean.” Sehun clucked his tongue at his two energetic friends. “This is a great thing. Junmyeon has been sad lately and now Yifan is here to cheer him up!”

Junmyeon leaned with his back against his bedroom door and slid to the floor, burying his head in his hands even if the action hurt (seriously he dreaded peeking in the mirror at how bad his nose looked). 

“There, there hyung it will be fine.”

Junmyeon felt Sehun’s large hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. 

“It won’t be okay. He’s staying here. HERE. IN MY HOUSE.” Junmyeon groaned into his hands. 

“I heard he’s making a movie,” Baekhyun said. 

Junmyeon moved his hands away. “How did you know?”

“Your parents might have bragged just a smidgen when they visited the market a few minutes ago.” Baekhyun held his thumb and index finger a centimeter apart. “And you know news travels fast.”

“So I gathered.” Junmyeon sighed.

“Hey, at least you know where he is now!” Sehun tried to look on the bright side. 

True, he was no longer distraught over a missing Wu Yifan. No, now he was distraught a once missing Wu Yifan was taking up residence in his house, casting him in some movie and –– it was just so hard to take in. It had happened so fast. 

“This is the answer to everything you’ve been stressing about.” Sehun continued to pat his shoulder. “You have a job now and you even get to hang out with your idol!”

“Yeah, I guess this is a good thing.” Junmyeon suddenly felt selfish for whining about it. 

There was a knock on his bedroom door, sending Junmyeon bolting upright in surprise. “Come in,” he called once he collected himself.

The door opened and Yifan peeked his head in, dazzling smile and all. “Just wanted to say hi to my new star’s friends.”

And Junmyeon’s face was fire engine red once again. 

“Hi,” Sehun greeted, sounding overly confident.

“Y-you’re hot,” Baekhyun stammered. 

“Ignore them. If you need an extra call me. Kim Jongdae, I’ve done some acting here and there.”

“When?” Baekhyun challenged. 

“Hey, I was the tin man in third grade! What were you, the stand-in monkey king?!” Jongdae argued. 

Junmyeon put his hand to his eyes, the second hand embarrassment too much. 

“Junnie, I’d like to discuss the script after dinner if you are available.”

Junmyeon tensed. Junnie? Did Yifan just call him Junnie?! He removed his hand and stared at the idol, slack jawed. It took an enormous amount of energy to nod in agreement.

“Great. Nice meeting you all.” Yifan closed the door, giving the go ahead for Jongdae, Baekhyun, and Sehun to dissolve into a rabid teasing session. 

“Junnie?”

“Oh my god are you going to date him?”

“He was totally hitting on you. New star. _New star _!”__

__Junmyeon sighed. The solution to all of his problems seemed to create new problems, albeit less depressing ones._ _

__

__

__Junmyeon tried to pay attention to what Yifan was saying but he was lost, unable to do anything but stare at the face he had seen so many times on his computer, on his television, and in limited print magazines that cost a fortune and showed up five weeks later than promised._ _

__Yifan was so much better looking up close, his pictures didn't do him justice. The way his lips moved while he spoke, his eyes bright while he explained –_ _

__“Are you listening to anything I’ve been saying?”_ _

__Junmyeon snapped out of his daze. “I...script?”_ _

__Yifan sighed. “Junmyeon, we need to hammer out some things, if you keep ...”_ _

__Yifan was still talking but Junmyeon had stopped paying attention when Yifan said the word _hammer_. How could the word hammer be so sexy? How could…_ _

__“Junmyeon!” Yifan slapped the packet of papers down on the coffee table. “If you aren’t going to pay attention then this isn’t going to work.”_ _

__“Sorry,” Junmyeon mumbled, looking down at the floor so he wouldn’t be distracted again._ _

__“You will need to sign a non-disclosure agreement before you can read the script. It is legal protection in case you decided to try to sell my idea to someone else –– not that I think you would but I’ve learned through the years to be cautious.” Yifan pushed a stack of papers Junmyeon’s way. “Read this over and sign it if you feel that you can follow the guidelines. Then we can get into script details and you can decide if you really want the part.”_ _

__“I do want the part!” Junmyeon looked at Yifan in alarm, eager to make sure the man knew he was serious._ _

__“Junmyeon, I know you are my fan. I know that you are probably freaking out right now and couldn’t imagine saying no when I showed up out of the blue and offered you a role. But you need to really think this through. I don’t want this to be about who I am but about who you want to be.”_ _

__As expected he was perfect, Junmyeon thought. Perfect and correct –– Junmyeon had to snap out of his fan mentality and think. Everything had happened so quickly it was difficult to do so, twelve hours ago he was still convinced Yifan had given up on a celebrity lifestyle and disappeared forever -- now he was sitting in Junmyeon’s living room talking about scripts._ _

__“I’ll think it over,” Junmyeon grabbed the packet of papers and flipped through them._ _

__“Great, because I am exhausted. I’m going to bed first.” Yifan stood. He reached over and patted Junmyeon on the shoulder. “Goodnight, Junnie.”_ _

__Junmyeon gaped at Yifan’s retreating form. Yes, he needed to be smart and think through this huge change. He had chased a dream once in his life and ended up with failure and unhappy memories. This had to be different, he had to be sure. He had to believe he could do it._ _

__

__

__The sight of Yifan sitting at the kitchen table, sharing breakfast and bad jokes with his parents, was enough to make Junmyeon hightail it back to his room until he heard his father start to do the dishes, signaling an end to breakfast. Bizarre, it was unfailingly bizarre and Junmyeon wasn’t going to get used to having Yifan around in the span of a day. He certainly wasn’t comfortable with sharing a meal with him yet and he really, really was not comfortable seeing him joke around with his parents._ _

__He emerged from his room at quarter past eight, after twenty minutes in front of the mirror making sure he looked presentable (despite his swollen nose). He cleared his throat when he entered the kitchen, interrupting the small talk Yifan was making with his mother._ _

__“Morning dear,” his mother gushed. “Yifan was just telling me that he has your picture above his fireplace at home!”_ _

__“You do?!” Junmyeon squeaked._ _

__“Yeah.” Yifan looked sheepish. “I love the roman god theme.”_ _

__“Why don’t you two go on a nice long walk today? The weather is beautiful and lord knows Junmyeon needs some color.”_ _

__Junmyeon narrowed his eyes at his mother. Was she trying to set him up with Yifan?_ _

__“That is a great idea! Are you up for it, Junnie?” Yifan smiled._ _

__“Let me get my tennis shoes,” Junmyeon drawled, relinquishing himself to his fate._ _

__When he entered his bedroom he paused to look at the stack of papers he had read and reread the night before. It was all legal jargon, nothing about the actual script or idea, signing it wouldn’t bind him to the movie, only cover Yifan legally if Junmyeon tried to abscond with his idea. It wasn’t much to think about but he had still tried to be thorough. He needed to think of this opportunity as a new start, requiring new habits and a new attitude -- and a love of country strolls, apparently._ _

__

__

__“I read it through and I’ll sign it,” Junmyeon relayed after a few minutes and several run-ins with the neighbors later (Yifan gave everyone an autograph and a picture, Junmyeon fell a little more in love). His mother was right it was a beautiful day –– still it wasn’t exactly his prerogative to go on a morning stroll and see Yifan accosted by half the town. He was thankful when they took a small path that snaked out into the countryside, leaving the townspeople behind._ _

__“Great. Then it’s time to talk plot.” Yifan walked faster than Junmyeon, the smaller man found himself trying to match the taller man’s strides and falling behind awkwardly. He was almost jogging to keep up. Yifan finally noticed and stopped walking. “Sorry, long leg problems.”_ _

__“It’s fine.” Junmyeon wiped the beads of sweat off his brow. They continued at a much slower pace. “Tell me about the plot.”_ _

__“Junnie, this movie is near and dear to my heart and before I tell you the entire plot I want you to know that it is my last chance.” Yifan halted again and turned to Junmyeon. Junmyeon swallowed, pursing his lips at how serious Yifan looked. “This is the first time I have had a chance to make a movie I wanted to make without an agency breathing down my neck. It is my chance to prove myself and if it fails...I am not sure what is next.”_ _

__“You are going to quit if it fails?” Junmyeon felt an immense weight on his shoulders._ _

__“No, not quit!” Yifan waved his hands in front of him, gesturing that the idea was absurd. “But maybe take a break from movies for a while. Quitting isn’t a good policy.”_ _

__Junmyeon wished he had the same motivation, the same outlook. One of the things he did best in the world was to quit, he thought. He had worked so hard back in Seoul but then giving up came so easily._ _

__“Okay, so now that you know how important this movie is, please listen to the idea with an open mind. The working title is …..”_ _

__Junmyeon listened intently while Yifan talked in length about the film. He was extremely intrigued with the idea and stunned that Yifan would consider him for the role. It would be edgy, different from any movie Junmyeon had ever seen. Groundbreaking, for sure._ _

__Yifan’s monologue suddenly stopped, the tall man jumping back and gripping Junmyeon’s shoulders. “B-b-bees!” he screamed._ _

__Junmyeon looked around. He spotted a beehive on a nearby tree._ _

__“We have to get out of here!” Yifan tugged Junmyeon backwards._ _

__“Are you afraid of bees?” Junmyeon giggled, finding it funny that Wu Yifan, certified smooth movie star and singer, had this particular fear._ _

__“I am not terrified, I’m realistic! They can kill a person!” Yifan let go of Junmyeon’s shoulders and began jogging in the opposite direction of his fear. Junmyeon smiled, amused to see his hero suddenly acting very, very human. After a few seconds of chuckling to himself Junmyeon jogged to catch up._ _

__

__

__“You’re going to tell everyone I’m afraid of bees and embarrass me,” Yifan said glumly._ _

__They were sitting in the guest bedroom at the small table that his mother had dragged in so “they had working space”. Junmyeon was pretty sure she just wanted to set up a private space for them near a bed since apparently her new full time job was trying to hook her son up with the movie star staying in their house._ _

__“No! I won’t,” Junmyeon promised. “It’s a logical fear and there is nothing wrong with that.”_ _

__Junmyeon stopped flipping through the script. He looked at Yifan and gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile._ _

__“Thanks,” Yifan mumbled._ _

__“It’s nice to know you’re human too,” Junmyeon mused, surprising himself with how steady his voice was, how he hadn’t said anything too embarrassing._ _

__“You’ll find out I am very human and then you probably won’t like me anymore,” Yifan pouted._ _

__“I doubt that. Not liking you, I mean.” Junmyeon swallowed, eyes locked with Yifan's. The atmosphere had changed, shifted to something...slightly uncomfortable._ _

__Yifan cleared his throat. “So what do you say, Junnie, are you up for the role?”_ _

__Junmyeon nodded, eyes back on the script. “Yes, I am.”_ _

__“You’re sure?” Yifan asked, wanting a solid confirmation._ _

__“Yes.” Junmyeon had mulled the idea over in his mind since Yifan had explained it to him. He had weighed the pros and cons - what might happen if the film failed. Could he handle it? He thought he could. At least he would be doing something, not moping and uncertain. He needed something to believe in and he knew he could believe in Yifan._ _

__

__

__Filming began two days later. Junmyeon’s nose was still bruised but it wasn’t swollen anymore. Yifan promised him that the injury made his character seem more genuine._ _

__Yifan operated the camera and set up the recording equipment. Junmyeon had expected a film crew to come trudging down from Seoul or fly in from China to work on the film but that didn't occur - when Yifan said it was the first movie he was making he wasn’t lying. He was doing everything. Writing, producing, directing, filming, editing... the only thing he wasn’t responsible for was acting._ _

__It was a hectic filming site, Yifan running around like a chicken with his head cut off while Junmyeon tried to follow his direction and not overheat in the blazing sun. Three hours into his first day as a movie actor Junmyeon was debating giving up – he had reached the limits of believing in something, reverting to his true nature and looking for an easy way out._ _

__“Look towards that tree. No, not that one. Nope, not that one either. Okay, perfect!” Yifan barked, talking nonstop, only falling into silence when the camera was rolling. “Junnie, you are doing great!”_ _

__“Junnie, look pensive.”_ _

__“Junnie, how about you smile a little. Not a lot but just enough. Yep, like that.”_ _

__At noon Junmyeon fell to the ground on his back, limbs splayed out, sweat dripping off of him. “I don’t think I’m cut out for this.”_ _

__“Don’t say that, you’re perfect!” Yifan protested, hovering over him, hands on his hips, designer sunglasses perched on his nose._ _

__“Yifan,” Junmyeon started slowly. “Thank you for believing in me but I just can’t. I’m hot, I can’t follow direction. I have failed at everything I’ve ever tried and this isn’t an exception.” Okay perhaps he was being a tad bit dramatic but really he was exhausted, mentally and physically._ _

__“Junnie, do you know the one thing I hate more than bees?” Yifan asked._ _

__“No.”_ _

__“Quitters.” Yifan held his hand out, urging Junmyeon to take it. “And I know you’re not a quitter. Your idol group may not have worked out but that wasn’t your fault.”_ _

__“You know about S.C.A.T?!” Junmyeon squeaked, not even realizing he had to know about the group if he had contacted his old agency._ _

__“Of course I do it was a meme all over for like a month. The name was horrendous.”_ _

__Junmyeon bit his bottom lip but took the offered hand, letting Yifan pull him to his feet._ _

__“I believe in you but I need you to believe in you.” Yifan placed his hands on Junmyeon’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze._ _

__The close proximity to Yifan made Junmyeon’s heart rate pick up. He stared at that perfect face, enamored. Grateful. Determined to do better, to not let Yifan or himself down._ _

__“I’ll do my best,” he promised, hoping it would be good enough. Looking back it was a big turning point for him, the moment when he decided to try._ _

__

__

__Junmyeon gave the role his all, burning with a dedication he hadn’t possessed since he had started out as an idol. It felt good to have something to do again. It felt even better to have Yifan there, cheering him on, teaching him, and giving it his all alongside Junmyeon._ _

__After the third day of filming Yifan dragged Junmyeon towards his car the moment dinner was over._ _

__“I want to show you something,” the Chinese actor said cryptically. Junmyeon was no longer tripping over his words when he was with Yifan but he was still on edge, afraid to ask exactly where they were going._ _

__“You have been doing such a great job, really,” Yifan assured him as they drove through town. “And I remembered seeing this and I thought you might like it.”_ _

__Junmyeon clasped his hands tightly in his lap, still too afraid of the car to move around much. “Do you remember where it is?” He didn’t want a repeat of the first day when they got lost half a dozen times._ _

__“Yeah.” Yifan waved at a few townspeople that came out to gawk at the unfamiliar car going past._ _

__Yifan drove up one of the country roads Junmyeon was familiar with. He knew there wasn’t anything much to see along the one lane track – or at least there hadn’t been back when he had grown up in the town. Curious, he stared out the window. Just what had Yifan noticed that he thought Junmyeon would like?_ _

__Yifan stepped on the brakes a minute later. “There! There!”_ _

__Junmyeon stared across the field on his left, on his right, then looked out the windshield. “What? What?!”_ _

__Yifan was already getting out of the car. Junmyeon scurried after him, catching up with the man when he was fifteen feet across one of the fields._ _

__“See, there. Doesn’t it look kind of like a cat?” Yifan was pointing at a medium sized rock that was firmly planted in the field. It was roughly hewn but if Junmyeon squinted he could kind of see what might resemble a cat’s face. Maybe._ _

__“Uh…” Junmyeon looked again. “Yes, it does,” he lied._ _

__Yifan sighed happily. “Junnie, you know what this is a perfect example of?”_ _

__“No.”_ _

__“Beauty can be found anywhere if you are dedicated to finding it. Like here.” Yifan threw his arms out wide, gesturing to their surroundings. “If you go in search of something beautiful, there will be something beautiful. Like the rock-cat.”_ _

__Junmyeon narrowed his eyes at the rock. Rock-cat. Sure…._ _

__“If you work hard beauty will come from it. Like our movie.” Yifan turned to Junmyeon and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Together we can make something beautiful.”_ _

__Junmyeon swallowed. Don’t think dirty things, don’t think dirty things, don’t think dirty things…_ _

__“So do you like it?” Yifan asked, hope in his eyes._ _

__Junmyeon nodded vigorously. “It’s great.”_ _

__“Good. Now let’s get back, we need to go over the script again.” Yifan stalked back towards the car, leaving Junmyeon to stare at the rock-cat a second longer, wondering if his idol had always been this weird and he just hadn’t known it._ _

__

__

__By day five Junmyeon realized Yifan was a lot weirder than he would have guessed. By day five Junmyeon also realized he really liked weird._ _

__Yifan had a tendency to dig deep into simple things, to look for meaning and to expound on it in sometimes bizarre ways. Even if he sounded a bit odd at times Junmyeon found that he could understand where he was coming from –– just like the feeling of when they were filming. Yifan’s ideas were abstract but Junmyeon could understand. They bonded over it, their method of thinking so similar it was scary._ _

__“I knew we were on the same wavelength when I first saw your picture,” Yifan said over lunch, making Junmyeon blush. “I’m so glad I came out here and found you.”_ _

__“Me too,” Junmyeon said quietly._ _

__

__

__It took ten days for the press to get wind of Wu Yifan’s whereabouts and when they did Junmyeon’s hometown was inundated with cameras and reporters. The celebrity news sites lit up with headlines containing various claims of Yifan’s purpose for being in a town so small it didn’t appear on half the maps of the region._ _

___Wu Yifan found - may be living as a monk!_ _ _

___Yifan purchasing a farm?_ _ _

___Yifan on secret trip with boyfriend?_ _ _

__The last headline made Junmyeon’s face flame. He glanced at Yifan, worried how the man was taking the sudden invasion of press. Yifan appeared not to be bothered. He was typing on his laptop, brow furrowed in concentration. He didn’t look angry nor had he said an angry word about the sudden arrival._ _

__He’s used to it, Junmyeon thought. It comes with his career. But still, how intrusive._ _

__Yifan had proven to be a mystery, Junmyeon realized. He had idolized the man for so many years yet meeting him, working with him, had taught Junmyeon that there was more to Yifan than he could ever have imagined (and a lot of things that he had imagined that weren’t true)._ _

__He snored horribly when he slept. He was clumsy, tripping over his own feet at least once a day. He made bad jokes and loved to give nicknames (Junnie...somehow Junmyeon had learned to live with it). He liked watching reruns of Gossip Girl with Junmyeon’s dad and he could identify every variety of tomato Junmyeon’s mom grew in the garden. He had absconded with Junmyeon’s childhood teddy bear two days ago and Junmyeon thought he probably slept next to it. And of course he philosophized the mundane, making it interesting._ _

__He was kind, which Junmyeon had already known as his fan. He was creative, another thing Junmyeon had known. He smiled at everyone and was addicted to sunglasses and brightly colored shirts. All known facts._ _

__He was the lovable idol Junmyeon had been drawn to but he was also the goofy man that he had become friends with. Friends, that is what they were (he thought, he hoped). Because they would never be more than that even if Junmyeon could admit to himself he had fallen completely in love with the real Yifan in a matter of days. But Yifan would go home to China after filming and Junmyeon...well his future was unknown. This was as close as they would ever be and something about that made Junmyeon sad._ _

__

__

__Jongdae, Baekhyun, and Sehun proved to be excellent distractions, keeping the reporters busy and perpetually annoyed until one by one they drifted away, no longer caring what Yifan was doing._ _

__In the meantime Yifan had retooled the script and started filming indoors to avoid the press. When the press started filtering out of the town he decided to continue filming in Junmyeon’s house. “The direction of the story has changed, Junnie, and I like this better.”_ _

__Junmyeon went along with it, happy to be out of the sun. His only indoor annoyance was his parents watching them like hawks, flashing Junmyeon thumbs up and smiling proudly._ _

__Days of filming indoors turned into a week and then two. And then, much to Junmyeon’s dismay, Yifan announced it was time to film the final scene._ _

__

__

__Junmyeon held back tears while Yifan filmed the ending moment, both because of Yifan’s direction to look distraught and because he was terribly sad it was all about to be over. When Yifan yelled out that it was a wrap he began to cry, unable to hold back._ _

__“Junnie, what is it?” Yifan set the camera aside and leaned down. He put his hand on Junmyeon’s chin and tried to get him to look at him._ _

__Junmyeon resisted, sniffling. “I - I...you’re going to leave now.” He had always been the sentimental sort when he liked someone, and this time was no different._ _

__Yifan pulled him into a bone crushing hug, hands on his head, pressing Junmyeon into his chest._ _

__Junmyeon squeaked in surprise._ _

__“Junnie, don’t cry. I can’t stand to see you cry,” Yifan whispered._ _

__Junmyeon clung to Yifan’s electric blue t-shirt, staining the fabric with his tears._ _

__“I’m not leaving, okay. Your mom said I can do my editing here so I’m planning on staying.”_ _

__Junmyeon broke away, looking up at Yifan. “You are?”_ _

__Yifan nodded and smiled. “I want you to be the first one to see the finished product since you had as much to do with it as me.”_ _

__Junmyeon wiped away his tears. “Nonsense.”_ _

__“And then I want to screen it for the town, since this is the place that made my dream come alive,” Yifan announced, looking misty eyed._ _

__“What about all your fans?” Junmyeon knew what it felt like to think his idol was missing, gone, the joy no longer there._ _

__“They’ll understand. I started updating my Instagram again, so I’m not totally gone.” Yifan looked sheepish. “Plus there is only one fan I want to spend time with at the moment.”_ _

__Junmyeon blushed. “I didn't realize you had updated your insta,” he mumbled. When had he stopped checking the fan forums every other hour? He supposed it was when Yifan showed up and he no longer counted on SNS pictures and appreciation posts to see him._ _

__“Thank you, Junnie. Really,” Yifan smiled._ _

__Junmyeon’s chest tightened, his face continued to flame. “No, thank you.” He owed so much to this man, he thought. So, so much._ _

__“Kiss, kiss, kiss!”_ _

__Junmyeon looked towards the door, horrified to see his parents standing there pumping their fists and chanting._ _

__“Mom! Dad!” Junmyeon wailed._ _

__Yifan laughed heartily._ _

__“Just kidding. It’s time for dinner,” Junmyeon’s dad called, guffawing at the shocked expression on his son’s face._ _

__

__

__Yifan completely engrossed himself in the editing process. He would rise at sunbreak and not stop working until well into the evenings._ _

__Junmyeon spent his days bringing Yifan lemonade (pink was his favorite), offering shoulder massages (the first time he did it he almost had a heart attack), and kind words. When he wasn’t making sure Yifan was fed, hydrated, and not in pain he was warding off his friends, who still liked to show up and gawk at Yifan and mercilessly tease Junmyeon any chance they got._ _

__“Don’t you guys have anything to do?” Junmyeon snapped one day after a particularly boisterous speech from Sehun about how “You need to make the first move and legit big or go home and surprise him with lingerie”._ _

__“Hyung, that hurts.” Sehun put his hand to his heart. “How could you say that to me?”_ _

__“Sorry, I’m just...I’m worried about Yifan. He’s working too hard. “_ _

__“Wow, you guys are practically married,” Jongdae commented._ _

__Junmyeon slumped in his chair. If only they were…his heart might hurt a bit less._ _

__

__

__Yifan completed the final cut of the film a month and two days after filming stopped. He walked into Junmyeon’s bedroom without knocking, laptop in hand, wide smile on his face. “It’s done.”_ _

__Junmyeon promptly screamed and grabbed for the nearest article of clothing. He had just finished taking a shower and was naked, about to change._ _

__“Oh my god! I’m sorry!” Yifan whirled around and faced the door._ _

__“No, it’s –– did you say the movie’s done? That’s great.” Junmyeon pulled on jogging pants and a t-shirt, trying not to be embarrassed at the fact Yifan had just seen all of him._ _

__“Yeah. Can we watch it together? Whenever you have time...” Yifan trailed off._ _

__“Sure. How about now? I’m eager to see it.” Junmyeon needed an instant distraction anyway, if he was left alone to dwell on what just happened he would probably never leave his room again._ _

__After making sure Junmyeon was “decent” Yifan brought his laptop over to Junmyeon’s desk and set it down. He pulled up a chair, Junmyeon taking a seat on his bed._ _

__“Be honest, if you don’t like something let me know,” Yifan instructed as he pushed play._ _

__Junmyeon leaned forward, intrigued by the introduction, the edits, the cuts in each scene. He was so engrossed in the film he didn’t notice Yifan was staring at him. “It’s beautiful,” Junmyeon admitted three quarters of the way through the film._ _

__“Yes, it is,” Yifan agreed, his eyes still trained on Junmyeon._ _

__

__

__The big town-wide premiere of the film was on a Saturday evening, the movie set to be broadcast on the side of Lee’s corner store for the entire town to watch. Yifan and Junmyeon greeted each person with bright smiles and words of thanks. Yet, when the opening scene began to play they were nowhere in sight._ _

__“Can I talk to you for a moment?” Yifan had whispered to Junmyeon, his hand going to his wrist._ _

__“Sure.” Junmyeon was afraid of what Yifan had to say. His tone was so serious...almost ominous. While he knew Yifan would have to leave soon they hadn’t discussed his departure since the day Junmyeon cried into Yifan’s t-shirt. A part of him had hoped it wouldn’t happen even if he knew thinking like that was foolish._ _

__He let Yifan lead him back towards his parent’s house, not stopping until they were standing in the living room of Junmyeon’s family home._ _

__“What is it?” Junmyeon asked when Yifan didn’t say anything._ _

__Yifan pursed his lips and sighed. He looked at the ground, not at Junmyeon._ _

__“Junnie, I really like you. Like a lot. And I know it is wrong and I shouldn’t be doing this but I can’t help it.” He looked up, eyes meeting Junmyeon’s. “I don’t want to be apart from you. I don’t want to say goodbye to pink lemonade, rock-cats, and walking in on you naked and…well maybe not the last part but you know what I mean. To be honest I bought every picture of you your parents sold and I know that sounds creepy but I have been in love with you since I saw you standing in a garden in a bedsheet. ”_ _

__Junmyeon swallowed. Was this really happening? Was Yifan confessing?_ _

__“I’ve tried to resist falling for you. You don’t need someone like me in your life, Junnie. You don’t need to be harassed by the press or written about incessantly. Plus you might not even like guys, I mean even if your parents said you do and we should get married but—“_ _

__Junmyeon didn’t want to listen to any more things he didn’t need. He wrapped his arms around Yifan’s neck and pulled him down, pressing their lips together in a kiss. He took Yifan by surprise, the man staying still for a couple seconds before easing into the kiss._ _

__When they parted, Junmyeon kept his arms around Yifan’s neck. “I like you, a lot, but I didn’t think you felt the same way. And you are perfect for me, no matter what you think. ”_ _

__Yifan frowned. “I have to go back to China.”_ _

__“I’ll come with you.” Junmyeon blurted it out, but even if it was a spur of the moment thing to say he knew it was the right thing to say. He knew he wanted it, as long as Yifan would have him._ _

__“You will?!” Yifan’s expression instantly brightened. “I never would have dared to ask. Are you sure about this? You don’t know mandarin and you would be away from your parents and…”_ _

__“I’m sure, Yifan.” Junmyeon said. “It is the first thing I have been sure of in a long time. The first future I have wanted in a long time.”_ _

__“I’m so happy,” Yifan admitted, peppering Junmyeon’s face with kisses._ _

__“Me too, me too,” Junmyeon agreed._ _

__

__

__**Exclusive!!! Wu Yifan on his directorial debut!** _ _

___October 1st, 2018_ _ _

__(Beijing) – Meeting with Wu Yifan for five minutes has become a nearly impossible task of late. The hot actor and idol is making his directorial debut with the film Bee-utiful, which has become all the buzz in the entertainment world recently. Some critics have been less than enthusiastic towards the film after pre-screenings while others have called the abstract film the first of what shall likely become a wave of similar titles. We recently caught up with the actor and asked him the burning questions on our reader’s minds, snagging a lucrative five minutes with the man of the moment._ _

___**How do you react to critics who describe your directorial debut as, direct quotes, “bizarre”, “incomprehensible”, “Shot with a go-pro”, and “So bad it’s just bad”?** _ _ _

___WY: Look, Bee-utiful is a deep film with a lot of metaphors and a lot of meaning. I didn’t expect people to get it all at once, not everyone any way._ _ _

___**How did you choose the subject of a bee for your film? Can you explain the secondary title Bee-ing a Bee?** _ _ _

___WY: A smart man once said there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Bees are scary but their lives aren’t. They live simple lives, buzzing around. I wanted to capture that simplicity, that human face to the terrible monsters we know as bees. I wanted to share that bees may be just as afraid of me as I am of them. I mean as we are of them. But if we get close, bees are really cute._ _ _

___**You said in an earlier interview that you wrote the part with Kim Junmyeon in mind. Considering this is Kim Junmyeon’s first film, what made you think of him for the part?** _ _ _

___WY: When I think of a bee I think of something strong but also cute. Perseverance. Bees go through a lot in their lives, they have a lot of responsibility. Junmyeon can easily convey that sense of responsibility along with the cuteness._ _ _

___**Why is there no dialogue in the film?** _ _ _

___WY: (laughs). Bees don’t talk!_ _ _

___**There has been a lot of buzz, pun intended, about the bee suit Junmyeon wore for the film. Any plans to license and sell the suit?** _ _ _

___WY: No, but now that you bring it up maybe that is a good idea (laughs again)._ _ _

___**One last question before we let you go. Is it true that you are dating Kim Junmyeon?** _ _ _

___WY: Yes, I am. We are very happy and both extremely excited for the premier of our film. Bee-utiful is very dear to us, very dear. Hopefully audiences will fall in love while watching it just like we did while filming it._ _ _

__

__

__**Bee-utiful takes home Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Yifan’s responds to critics “For all the people who bee haters out there!”** _ _

___February 28, 2019_ _ _

__(Los Angeles) – In a moment that surprised many, Bee-utiful the directorial debut for noted actor Wu Yifan snagged the Best Foreign Language Film award at yesterday’s Academy Awards. Yifan, who was in attendance along with the star of the film, who is also his significant other, Kim Junmyeon…_ _


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